Abstract

Background: Nasal obstruction can be due to anatomical or structural abnormalities, such as inferior turbinate hypertrophy and nasal septal deviation. Also, chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis cause nasal congestion and decrease airflow. Patients with septal deviation may complain of snoring, sneezing, sleep apnea, nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, or oral breathing. This work was aimed to compare between radiofrequency-assisted septorhinoplasty and traditional septorhinoplasty. Methodology: A retrospective cohort study was conducted during the period from 01/06/2016 to 01/06/2017 at King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. All adult patients ≥ 18 years of age attending to ENT clinic with nasal deformity underwent functional septorhinoplasty by simple dissection or radiofrequency were interviewed to assess their satisfaction in Olfaction, Aestheticism, and Breathing, using patient's and doctor's satisfaction scales. Also, postoperative complications and time of the operation were evaluated. Results: Among a total of 66 participants included in this study, 18 (27.3%) of participants were females, while 48 (72.7%) of them were males. The study found a relationship between the type of procedure and shape of the nose post-operatively depending on patient’s satisfaction score (p-value = 0.001), and there was a relation between type of procedure and form of the nose post-operatively depending on doctor’s satisfaction score (p-value = 0.000078). Conclusion: Radiofrequency-assisted septorhinoplasty is an innovation in the field of septorhinoplasty. Using the Soft Palate wand handle for sub-Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System layer dissection and in septal dissection, until reaching to the anterior nasal spine, it took a short duration of time in a bloodless field which gave good result in terms of patient’s satisfaction score without any major or minor complications.

Key words: Radiofrequency, septorhinoplasty, retrospective single descriptive study, Saudi patients.